Cat's Cradle (Laughter in the Rain)
by sunnymadden
Summary: In the alternate universe where Woody never picks up the phone and Sam and Diane are officially married. Two songs will carry the story of their emotional wedding night after the bar closes.


In the early morning hours of June fourteenth, Sam and Diane Malone walked out of the bar and into the world as husband and wife for the first time. Diane was as giddy as a schoolgirl and Sam was beaming. He kept looking at her as they walked underneath the streetlights. The light shined down on her golden hair like a halo, making her really look like the perfect angel she already was. He almost hated to open the car door for his bride because he was so not ready for this enchanting night to be over. He must have known something was going to happen to ruin the moment was she got in because she stopped giggling and her face started to turn serious. He just hops in the driver's seat and drives back to their house in silence because maybe she is just overwhelmed right now. He honestly couldn't blame her if she was.

He couldn't seem to keep quiet anymore and he turned on the radio. The opening strings to "Cat's in the Cradle" by Harry Chapin began to hum across the airwaves. That was when Diane begins to cry. She buries her face in her hands as she gently weeps.

"Sweetheart," he says rubbing her her hair. "Everything's all right, Sweetheart. You're all right."

_And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,_

_Little boy blue and the man in the moon,_

_When you coming home, dad?_

_I don't know when but we'll get together then,_

_You know we'll have a good time then._

"Turn the song off!" She yells all of a sudden. Sam does as he's told and pulls over to the curb. He had parked by the graveyard and seriously began to wonder if this was a good or a bad omen.

"I miss my dad," she finally admits wiping her eyes. "I should let it go but the one thing I absolutely hated about tonight was the fact that I walked out by myself!"

"Oh, come here, Sweetheart," he says giving her a hug and a kiss. While he gently rocked her in his arms, he saw a shooting star flash across the sky and swoop down by the willow tree. The image rocked Sam to his core. He thought of someone who was buried underneath the tree and it was almost like God had said "Bring her here."

So that was what he did. He got her out of the car and walked with her up the hill with her hand in his the whole way. It was a wonderful night for a walk anyway. The spring night you dream about just to make it through winter. The starlight got them to their destination. A polished rock that embellished Ernie "Coach" Pantusso on it. Diane sighed a little when she saw his name and Sam knew he was doing the right thing.

"Hey ya, Coach," Sam says kneeling down to talk to their dear friend. "We did it," he then says taking Diane by the hand once more and kneeling her beside him on the dewey grass. "Isn't she beautiful?"

"I would have loved for you to have been there, Coach," Diane says caressing the headstone with gentleness. "I would have loved for you to have walked me down the aisle. If only you were there..."

She paused as she felt something drip down on her shoulder. She looked over and saw a raindrop fall onto Sam's cheek. They stayed frozen in their places until they were little by little soaked. What a surprise! The forcast predicted no such presipitation and yet it was starting to rain giving them both an earth bath. They could only embrace and laugh at this predictiment they found themselves in. Diane's little girl charm came back as she got up and sprinted for the car. Not one to give a up a race, Sam took off after her and beat her to the punch.

Once the engine got revved up, Sam had turned the radio back on. They didn't know what it was with this radio station but they were in tune with their emotions. It was Neil Sedaka's "Laughter in the Rain." They weren't in any hurry to drive off. Instead they kissed and hugged from the chorus until the next song would carry out.

_Oooh, I hear laughter in the rain!_

_Walking hand in hand with the one I love._

_Oooh, how I love the rainy days!_

_And the happy way I feel inside..._


End file.
